Sharp County record., 1887-07-21
FOUND GUILTY,

ID
fense in the Sharpe trial YESTERDAY w w
cess was taken until two o'clock. ~
Colonel Fellows began his ad lresS ;.
the jury after recess. He said that " y
would only trespass on the iury's tim'
long enough to fairly present the case !
consequence of their long confiaemer,
Fullgraff, if a tainted witness, has told HI.
story, and Waite has told of rampant ~.
ruption, but no doubtful or tainted A.,
dence is that Of the defense, thronoS
their counsel, and the counsel have ceD
ceded that the aldermen were theve.
The Calvanistic doctrine has been addpca,
that they were always corrupt and that
like Topsy, they were born so. I am M,
here to criticise the theology of the defeD,o
or the case; but who was this RudolrS
Fullgraff who gave this tainted testimo'
nyl A man honored and respected Up h
his fall. What was it that occurred IN
that board that has driven him out of ,ba
respectable society of honest menl WI,
dares charge Alderman O'Connor 4,
Alderman Grant, now our sheriff, wifi
any wrong-doing' Their political rem.
tation was won where Fullgraff's wa,
lost, and there must have been sometbr,
going on to carry the public detestato1
on the heads of the other twenty.tvO
But what was it2 This was the one suh
iect matter before us that has broups,
down on them the public condemnatioD
sent some of them scurrying across ths
border, and has lodged others of them IN
Sing Sing. If they were bribed, in who's
interest was itl Only in that of tia
Broadway franchise. This defendau,
was master mind of it, and it was he WIN
passed the bill that gave them power b
act
The speaker then referred to the many
appearances of Sharpe in Albany, and
the lobbyist Phelps, who was counted h
on the deal He got ten shares of stOci
for nothing, but when the thing went
through he walked down to Scribners
office and got $4,000 for his service at Al,
bany.
Mr.. Fellows then traced the case
through the Legislature and the Genera
Term Commission down to the sp9cld
meeting of the aldermen, which he sail
was the closing point, as without theh
action every effort up to that time was
or rather would prove, simply abortiVe
The meetings at McLaughlin's hOua
were also carefully gone over in detail
The proposition to put up half milliu
of dollars, he said came from Jaehls
Not wishing to trust the de-
fendant they chose a stakeholder b
the person of Keenan,. Mr.. Fellows dwa'
upon the arrangement TO issue the bOnh
of the road. Haste was required, and
whit Because the money had been rase
and ready for the aldermen, who refussi
TO 90 further until the money was in ths
hands of keenan,, the stakeholder Thl
bonds were issued for increasing tA
facilities Of the road, and when they hM
purchased twenty-five aldermen tAg
found their facilities were largely NJ
creased. What has become OF the fund
1t was raised in bills ranging from slOpAI
down to 500. This vast fortune has dsl
appeared as thoroughly as If it hld Oesl
cast into the fire.
Judge Barrett then arose to charge @l
fury. He began by saying that this Wa'
the first time in the history OF our lunil
prudence when man had been made
face the charge of giving bribe' B0i'
to give and receive bribes were crlmAl
SAID His Honor The bribe-giver had y
unnatural advantage-a monopoly-OW
the party who honestly applies for legsl
lative action. The result is that pure az
honest men can obtain no relief, and Ml
ruption is born. He read the lawa
bribery, and went on to say that the ollo
direct evidence that money had pep
given was that one DeLacey had glwl
money. 1t was not necessary that =
person charged gave the money WIN ~
own hand, or made the corrupt agreemao
in accordance with the laws OF conIIsa
But if there was an understands
that one was to receive ~
the other was to give OFu
then the crime was in commss@v
whether directly or indirectly, persona
or by agents, assisted or abated, howe'u
remotely, in the commission of this crla y
the guilt is established. DeLacey sv'
fountain head, and all who are proven y
be connected near to or far from
foun tain head are guilty. II DeLacey
ceived the money from Richmond ~
Richmond again from Sharpe ~
Sharpe is guilty. If Sharpe had agu !
knowledge of the scheme and assisted il =
abetted in any way, he is guilty IA
fury finds that he is connected WIN
bribery by either Of the ways spe'" 4,
they must find him guilty. =
Jud &c Barrett proceeded to analy5e fvAsr II
CRAFTS evidence, and the testlmOns h,
corroboration thereto. The Court aen' E,
circumstantial and direct tesIlmv,' N
using Sharpe's visit to Albany in Ns q
an illustration. 1t had been shown L,
he was there laboring to get the pass
Of the General Railroad law u
passed, and Immediately the Broau"
road filed its articles Of incorpora1ig
Mr.. Sharpe was one Of the incorpor's"', ,,l(
There was circumstantlal evidence Nat
which a jury might infer tha' NJ
Sharpe labored for the passage@ E
General Railroad act, he had IN VIZ"
scheme of roadway surface "isl
Here Mr.. Phelps testifies direc'y
Sharpe told him that that was MS VJs VI
After reviewing the evidence III TSds
Judge Barrett said: '1f you nne I'm
Fullgraff was bribed, and that sy th'
was raised by Kerr and Forshay w.~ ov
knowledge of Sharpe, and you oUs yn'
the conclusion that that sum we"
raised for the purposes which appV,' h
the books of the road, and thai .noJ p,i1 ~
really went to the corruption OF In0m mi ne u
of Aldermen. you must find MN ~ y
If you believe that Kerr and For'uys on, y
this, and concealed it from MT. y ~
because Of their own inter0Is Sso. =
notwithstanding the greater s.ou
which Mr.. Sharpe was to reap .her r,,r NV